Oopps! How You Can Handle Equipment Failures During Seminars

Any seasoned seminar speaker will tell you that one of the most dreaded worst-case scenarios that could happen during a lecture involves the breakdown of equipment. Everything could be going well and then the projector inexplicably stops working or the microphone suddenly goes quiet. Equipment is so important as a seminar accessory that if you come unprepared and it does break down, it could ruin a perfectly well-planned lecture. Here's how to handle any equipment failures that might occur during a seminar:



Check the equipment prior to the seminar.

Part of effective seminar organization and planning is ensuring that you have the necessary equipment required for the job. Weeks before the scheduled day, check the suppliers for your equipment to ensure that they will have the devices ready for your seminar.



Three to four days prior to the set date, test-run your presentation with the equipment you will be using to check for compatibility. If any problems occur, you should be able to fix them immediately and still have time to make any adjustments or replacements.



Review your list of equipment. This is very important especially if you will be traveling to the seminar venue. There shouldn't be any excuse for forgetting an important accessory or equipment. Make sure that everything is in excellent condition and working order.



Make sure the venue is ready.

If possible, visit the site prior to the seminar. This is a good idea not only to familiarize yourself with the area but also to find out where exactly you can place the equipment. You and your staff can also check for potentially problematic fixtures that will affect how your equipment will work. At this point, you can get in touch with the people in charge of the venue in order to make the necessary adjustments or repairs.



Bring a backup.

Always assume that something can go wrong. To prevent any possibility that you may be grasping for air during the seminar, bring along a backup for the most critical equipment. Bring an extra laptop battery, extra bulbs in case you're using an old model projector, extra cables, an extra CD in case something goes wrong in the presentation file in your hard disk, etc.



If all else fails

Improvise. As a seminar speaker, you have to be quick on your feet. Using a wireless mic? Bring a traditional wire mic as well. If the wireless microphone fails, you can still use another equipment in its place. Using a digital projector? If it fails during the seminar, why not use a white board and a pen instead? If you're prepared, it's highly unlikely that equipment failures will occur during your seminar. But just the same, be ready in case it does.